Music Intent, Implementation & Impact

Intent

Our progressive scheme covers the National Curriculum in an integrated, practical and exploratory way. We have designed a curriculum that builds pupils’ technical, constructive and expressive knowledge of music.

The interrelated dimensions of music weave through both key stages to encourage the development of musical skills as the learning progresses, through listening and appraising, differing musical activities (including creating and exploring) and performing.

Our intention is to incrementally build the knowledge that pupils need to become musicians and to have an appreciation for music.

Implementation

All of our children receive timetabled weekly music lessons delivered by specialists from the Luton Music Service which is the lead organisation of the Luton Music Education Hub (The Mix).

Year 3:

During the year, students will revise any previous musical learning. They will learn how to play ukulele, tin whistles/recorders and percussion instruments accurately, producing a nice sound, with fluency, control and expression, and using various musical elements. Students will work and perform individually (if they wish) in pairs and groups. Students will learn to play a number of pieces throughout the year, resulting in concerts at the end of the Christmas and Summer terms. More advanced techniques will be taught to more able students. Singing will be used throughout the year. The interrelated dimensions of music will be taught through various forms including listening, performing, composing, improvisation, reviewing and evaluating. Other music knowledge such as families of instruments, different genres, historical periods, traditions and composers of music, will also be taught.

Year 4:

The children will learn to sing and play a variety of songs of different genres over the coming year. The songs will mostly be related to the particular topic we are revising in music, for example: pulse, rhythm, pitch etc. They will be able to play approximately 15 pieces of music on their recorders, having learnt the correct way to hold them and the correct posture, and they will be able to play up to 6/7 notes using a variety of rhythm patterns. They will also be able to read basic notation from the stave, having revised what was previously learned. They will also learn to read more complex rhythm patterns. The children will compose small pieces of music using 3 notes- this will be achieved through improvisation and composition, having understood the need to reflect and make alterations if necessary before performing. Having learnt to play together as an ensemble, they will prepare their favourite pieces for a concert at the end of the year.

Year 5:

Year 5 will look at variety of percussion instruments from different cultures and musical traditions. They will use djembes and samba instruments to extend ensemble skills. They will layer up at least four different rhythms both on the beat and syncopated looking at maintaining their own rhythm whilst still observing a steady pulse and showing awareness of other rhythms around them. Tuned percussion will be used to extend ideas of pitch as well as improvisation and composition using major, pentatonic and blues scales. Towards the end of the year different percussion instruments will be combined together to create a mixed percussion ensemble. Pupils will compose pieces together as a class to perform.

Year 6:

During the year, students will gain a deeper understanding of any previous musical learning. They will learn and develop their keyboard playing with accuracy, fluency, control and expression, using various musical elements in more depth. All students will be expected to learn to play with both hands on the keyboard. Both one finger and chords will be taught, allowing all students the opportunity to develop their skills. Students will work and perform individually (if they wish) in pairs and groups. Students will learn to play a number of pieces and chords throughout the year, resulting in concerts at the end of the Christmas and Summer terms. More advanced techniques will be taught to more able students. Singing will be used throughout the year. The interrelated dimensions of music will be taught through various forms including listening, performing, composing, improvisation, reviewing and evaluating. Other music knowledge such as families of instruments, different genres, historical periods, traditions and composers of music, will also be taught in greater depth.

Impact

By the time they leave year 6 Ferrars Junior School children will have developed a love and appreciation of music in a variety of forms. They will be able to;

play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts using voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music
listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
use and understand staff and other musical notations
appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
develop an understanding of the history of music